Barrel cooked Stewart Island salmon

Over smoked Asian greens with braised beetroot and crackle

Ingredients
4 x 180g portions Southern Seafood
Products Stewart Island Salmon fillet
1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and ground
400g Chinese cabbage, de-stalked whole leaves
250g beetroot, peeled and diced into 1cm squares
1 small white onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
125mL Wild Earth Pinot Noir
125mL red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
250mL vegetable stock
2 small bunches wild thyme
1 small stalk rosemary
50mL balsamic vinegar
2 shallots, finely diced
2 Tbsp black sesame seeds, toasted
100mL extra virgin olive oil
Flaky sea salt
Fresh cracked white pepper

This recipe is cooked in a wine barrel smoker but can also be cooked in a conventional fish smoker or oven. Heat barrel to high (or oven to 180°C).
Remove skin from salmon and any excess flesh from skin.
Season salmon portions with sea salt and ground fennel, leave covered in fridge for 45 minutes.
Line a baking tray with baking paper, lay skin flesh side down, drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt.
Bake in barrel approximately 15 minutes until crispy, remove to paper towel to drain excess oil.
In pot over medium heat add 2 Tbsp olive oil and sweat off white onion and garlic. Add beetroot, brown sugar and caramelise.
Deglaze pot with Wild Earth Pinot Noir and red wine vinegar, reduce by half. Add vegetable stock and bring to boil, add thyme and rosemary.
Place pot in barrel to braise beetroot until soft (approx. 15 minutes) or continue to cook over low heat.
Season cabbage leaves with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place directly on barrel rack approx. 8 minutes, turning once (or sauté in hot pan).
Remove salmon from fridge and place into barrel over smoking chips (or sear in a pan with olive oil and place in oven).
Cook until desired, approx. 12 minutes, turning once.
Remove thyme and rosemary from beetroot, strain reserving braising liquid and place beetroot in bowl with shallots and sesame seeds.
Add balsamic to braising liquid and reduce over medium heat until ½ cup remains.
Add reduction to diced beetroot, toss and season.
Remove salmon to rest in a warm place for 3 minutes.

Assemble
Place chopped cabbage onto plate, rest salmon over cabbage and dress with braised beetroot and salmon skin.

Recipe kindly supplied by
Wild Earth Wines
803 Kawarau Gorge Rd, Cromwell
(03) 445 4841

Photo
David Harrison